By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid star forward Mario Hezonja agrees with Sarunas Jasikevicius’ doubts that this season in the EuroLeague is any different or more difficult compared to last year.
“I agree with him [Jasikevicius],” Hezonja said after Real Madrid‘s away loss to Olympiacos Piraeus Tuesday (29/10). “People make these stories about that. I want to delete all my social media when I see stuff like this which is totally out of my mind. Let’s say that we are in a group with everybody, compared to last season. We had this little bit of luck in the beginning when we separated too early from the other teams and it looked like the season was over and we just waited for the playoffs. Then we lost the most important game of the season [the Final].”
It’s mostly a quite balanced situation in the EuroLeague standings right now, for the most part. Barcelona is the only EuroLeague team with a 5-1 record. There are three teams sitting at 4-2, three more with 3-2, and another four at 3-3.
“I think we are all in the same group,” Hezonja added. “It feels like we all win together and we all lose together. Funny games, some tough games. It’s going to be a mess. But I think it’s even better for our spectators. To see games like this. There aren’t clear favorites and everybody can beat everybody so it’s more fun for the spectators. I mean, it’s no fun for us to lose of course, but overall, it’s fun for the fans.”
Last season Real Madrid began the EuroLeague on a crazy ride of 10 straight wins en route to securing top seed quite early in the regular season. Now, the team is 3-3, having lost in all of its road games at Bayern Munich, Baskonia, and Olympiacos.
“It’s normal,’ Hezonja explained. “We are a new team. It’s hard to be expecting us to have the an early success as last season when we were like… 12 players continuing. That’s easier to play. I could play with Chacho [Sergio Rodriguez] and Vince [Vincent Poirier] with my eyes closed. With this, you need to be a leader, you need to help these guys to adapt. Not make them feel they don’t belong, or they feel like they hate basketball, or that the team isn’t working for them, etc. These are normal thoughts for a player so it’s up for us the veteran players to say to help them adapt quicker and for us to be smarter.”
This is why Hezoja admits that he feels that he now carries an extra amount of responsibility as one of the team’s leaders, entering his third season with the Real Madrid jersey. The Croatian player signed a multiyear contract last summer, committing to the Blancos at least until 2029.
“Absolutely,” Hezonja mentioned. “I showed my loyalty back to Real Madrid because as I said they made a big bet on me by bringing him with Russia and I wanted to give back. Now, with Sergi [Sergio Llull], with Facu [Campazzo], with Edy [Tavares], with Gaby [Gabriel Deck], with guys like this that have been here for a long time. We need to be an example. We need to be approachable. To help everybody to get at that level because we know what the level of Real Madrid is.”